Backstep Firefighter

Detroit DecisionsChief Makes a Rescue, Squad Does Transport

Bill Carey — Wed, 22 May 2013 17:04:59 +0000

Whatever it takes…

Early morning fire on the city’s east side, intentionally set.

Two companies are on the brownout.

Battalion chief is the first to arrive at occupied home, one burned child and adult out front, and is quickly directed to the rear for another occupant still inside.

No PPE, makes entry, locates young unresponsive, not breathing child, quickly removes him and turns him over to firefighters.

EMS is delayed.

Squad company transports child to hospital in their rig.

Motoring in and out in the Motor City.

Fox 2 News Headlines

Bill Carey is the online public safety news and blog manager with PennWell Public Safety, or more specifically FireRescue Magazine/FirefighterNation.com, JEMS.com, LawOfficer.com and FireEMSBlogs.com. Bill started in the fire service, as a third generation firefighter in 1986, on the eastern shore of Maryland and then continued after moving to Prince George's County. He served as a volunteer sergeant and lieutenant at Hyattsville where he met Chris Hebert and Dave Ianonne, the creators of Firehouse.com. Bill went to work for them back in 2001 and after they transitioned away to new, bigger projects, he was hired by them again in 2009. Bill's responsibilities are, well, a lot. Bill's writing has been on Firehouse.com, Fire Engineering, FireRescue Magazine, FirefighterNation.com, the Jones and Bartlett 2010 edition of "Fire Officer: Principles and Practice", The Secret List and Tinhelmet.com.

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Change Taking Place in Charleston

Bill Carey — Wed, 22 May 2013 15:17:15 +0000

“Our name is still the same. Everything else has changed.”

Reprint from the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation and FireRescue Magazine/FirefighterNation.com

Note: I have been fortunate to meet a few of the people in this video, many who are partners with the NFFF. Some are firefighters, fire officers, professional counselors. They have learned hard lessons, faced difficulty from within and have tried and tested many ways to deliver effective, positive change. They have faced the stereotypes about counseling and have worked to make their department better and to avoid another tragedy similar to what happened in 2007. Support the Natuonal Fallen Firefighters Foundation in their efforts to reduce line of duty deaths and to share some of the hard lessons learned. – Bill

- – -

Emmitsburg, MD – For South Carolina’s Charleston Fire Department change has come rapidly and in the most difficult of ways. After the deaths of nine firefighters at the Sofa Super Store fire on June 18, 2007, the department has remade itself in ways both dramatic and inspiring. For the first time, the nation’s fire service gets a close-up view of those changes through the eyes of company officers, command staff, peer counselors, community leaders and survivors in a new documentary called “Charleston 9: The Ultimate Sacrifice”.

Produced by STATter911 Communications and Greg Guise Media for the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, the half-hour video focuses on what some firefighters describe as a generation’s worth of operational changes in just five years, all geared to the safety of firefighters and the public. Battalion Chief Mark Davis puts it this way, “Our name is still the same. Everything else has changed.”

Such change doesn’t come easy and without significant challenges. Firefighters are quick to credit the leadership of Chief Tom Carr. The video looks at Chief Carr’s management style and how he simultaneously dealt with his own challenge of a debilitating disease. Chief Carr, who was interviewed for the film, was able to view the final version about six weeks before his death last month at age 59.

“On behalf of the hardworking members of the City of Charleston Fire Department, we hope you will view this video with an eye on what has been accomplished by the department to honor the sacrifice of the Charleston 9 and the dedicated leadership of the late Chief Tom Carr. I am proud to be a part of the legacy of progress our members forge every day,” commented Chief Karen E. Brack.

“Charleston 9: The Ultimate Sacrifice” also shows the important work in the area of behavioral health as peer counselors helped firefighters deal with the loss of close friends and co-workers.

"We are extremely grateful to everyone affiliated with the Charleston Fire Department who willingly shared their insights and experiences,” Chief Ronald J. Siarnicki, NFFF executive director said. “The lessons learned from the loss of nine brave firefighters, the amazing progress in the tragedy’s aftermath and Chief Carr’s leadership are invaluable to the fire service."

FRM/FFN
Telling the Charleston Fire Department’s Story of Change (Sendelbach)
Six years after the Sofa Super Store fire, an engineer’s personal account demonstrates that the department has been truly transformed

Charleston Documentary Shows How Leadership and Vision Led to Change (Pieper)
In just a few years, Chief Tom Carr brought the department through a radical rebuilding process

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“They Call You For That?”

Bill Carey — Sat, 18 May 2013 12:58:38 +0000

Smoke showing upon the 10-84

File under 'Lost in Translation'

Yes.

Yes they do call for that.

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Indianapolis Working:Helmet Cam Video, First-Due at Apartment Fire

Bill Carey — Fri, 17 May 2013 15:27:51 +0000

Quick grab after arrival on the scene

On the scene in Indianpolis with the first-in engine company at a working apartment fire. Video posted to YouTube by Joel Harsin, "Apartment fire with entrapment. Indianapolis Fire Department". News of the incident is reported by WISH-TV.

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Jacksonville Working:Helmet Cam Video from First-Due Nozzleman

Bill Carey — Wed, 15 May 2013 14:39:31 +0000

Rippin' and runnin' with the lineman

Helmet cam view from the nozzleman at this Jacksonville fire. Video post date is 8 May 2013. Camera date is a year old. Likely that this Sycamore Street fire is the one reported on here, "Firefighters quickly douse two house fires" a week ago by WOKV.com.

Enjoy

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Why We Search:Tulsa Occupied Abandoned Apartment Fire

Bill Carey — Tue, 14 May 2013 20:45:50 +0000

Sheriff’s deputies reported people inside the structure

Firefighters in Tulsa were dispatched to the Coliseum Apartments at 7th and Elgin after a county sheriff’s deputy saw smoke coming from the building. After hearing voices coming from inside the boarded up structure, and seeing people throwing things out, the word of people trapped was passed along to responding companies.

News9.com – Oklahoma City, OK – News, Weather, Video and Sports |

One person was removed from the second floor. It appears that transients may have been making meth inside the “mostly secure” structure.

Related
“Meth Lab May Have Sparked Fire in Abandoned Tulsa Apartment Building” Dee Duren, NewsOn6.com

Read more of Why We Search

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The Second 10*

Bill Carey — Sat, 11 May 2013 12:52:15 +0000

A look at the official on-duty deaths of 2013

*Nine actually, for reporting multiple West, Texas fatalities together
Numbers in parentheses are total since reporting first group of 10.
Example: 1 (3) One from the second group and a total of three for all reported so far.

Source: United States Fire Administration 2013 On-Duty Death Notices

Deaths involving Disorientation: 0

Deaths involving Building Collapse: 1 (3)
Roof Collapse (victim under), Commercial: 0 (2)
Roof Collapse (victim on top), Commercial: 1 (PA)

Deaths involving Flashover, Backdraft, Explosive Incident: 0

Deaths in 1- and 2-Family Dwellings: 0 (1)

Fell Through Floor: 0 (1)

Deaths in Multi-Family Dwellings: 0

Deaths in Educational, Institutional, Commercial and Industrial Occupancies: 1 PA (3)

Deaths in Vacant/Abandoned Structures: 0

Incidents with Multiple On-Duty Deaths: 0

(Bryan, Texas: two fatalities)

Average Age 46

Oldest: 60

Youngest: 35

Status

Career: 5 (8)

Volunteer: 3 (10)

Wildland, Full-time: 1

Rank

Fire Cadet: 0 (1)

Firefighter: 3 (7)

Wildland Firefighter: 1

Firefighter Engineer: 1

Lieutenant: 1 (3)

Captain: 2 (3)

Assistant Chief: 1

Chief: 0 (1)

Fire Police: 0 (1)

Nature of Death

Burns: 0 (2)

Heart Attack: 1 (3)

Trauma: 4 (6)

Unknown: 3 (7)

Other: 1

Cause of Death

Collapse: 2 (4)

Fall: 0 (1)

Stress/Overexertion: 2 (4)

Struck By: 1

Struck by motor vehicle: 1 (NJ)

Unknown: 9 (5)

Vehicle Collision: 3 (4)
     Ejected from POV during rollover; en route to fire call (SC)
     Vehicle strikes tree during response to structure fire (MO)
     POV struck tree during response to outdoor fire (IL)
     (Civilian vehicle slides into accident scene)

Activity at Time of Death

Advancing Hoseline: 0 (2)

Search and Rescue: 0 (1)

Ventilation: 1

Pump Operations: 1 (2)

Heart attack while responding to MVA (NY)

Driving: 3 (MO)

POV: 2 (SC, IL)

Riding Vehicle/Apparatus: 0 (1)

(Cardiac arrest during response)

Incident Command: 0 (1)

(Heart attack at brush fire)

EMS/Patient Care: 1

Collapsed at scene of MVA (GA)

Training: 0 (1)

(Fell ill while cooling down after training exercise)

Other: 3 (5)
     Found dead at residence several hours after active fire department shift (NH)
     Found dead in firehouse bed after earlier automatic fire alarm (NY)
     Struck by motor vehicle during wildfire (NJ)
     (Heart attack while performing safety checks)
     (Passed away after fighting a brush fire)

Scene Safety: 0 (1)

(Medical emergency while directing traffic)

Click here to see the previous 10 on-duty deaths.

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Nova Scotia Videos:Opening Up The Abandoned Home

Bill Carey — Thu, 09 May 2013 14:21:34 +0000

Heavy duty work on a reportedly abandoned house fire

The best vacant building is the one that is torn down. A lot full of rubble on the ground loses its ability to trap firefighters in a collapse. That said we found this video from Springhill Nova Scotia. The description by Pirate Jeep is, “An abandoned house in Springhill Nova Scotia catches fire April 29th 2013. The Springhill Volunteer Firefighters make easy work of the fire then demolish the house.” The earlier video of the fire attack, posted by davegalloway50, is described as “Quick response to a fire in an abandoned house in Springhill NS. House had to be demolished. Kudos to the Springhill fire dept. for a quick response time to assure no surrounding buildings was lost.”

Not sure how they decided to demolish the home during the fire, but it is interesting to say the least.

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The First 10

Bill Carey — Thu, 09 May 2013 09:54:18 +0000

A look at ten official on-duty deaths of 2013

Deaths involving Disorientation: 0

Deaths involving Building Collapse: 2

Roof Collapse, Commercial: 2 (TX, b)

Deaths involving Flashover, Backdraft, Explosive Incident: 0

Deaths in 1- and 2-Family Dwellings: 1

Fell Through Floor: 1 (NY)

Deaths in Multi-Family Dwellings: 0

Deaths in Educational, Institutional, Commercial and Industrial Occupancies: 2

Deaths in Vacant/Abandoned Structures: 0

Incidents with Multiple On-Duty Deaths: 1 – Bryan, Texas (2 Victims)

Death Where Victim was part of RIT, RIC, FAST or Other Team Searching for Firefighter: 1 (TX)

Average Age: 42

Oldest: 62

Youngest: 22

Career: 3

Volunteer: 7

Rank

Fire Cadet: 1

Firefighter: 4

Lieutenant: 2

Captain: 1

Chief: 1

Fire Police: 1

Nature of Death

Burns: 2

Heart Attack: 2

Trauma: 2

Unknown: 4

Cause of Death

Collapse: 2

Fall: 1

Stress/Overexertion: 2

Unknown: 4

Vehicle Collision: 1

Civilian vehicle slides into accident scene.

Activity at Time of Death

Advancing Hoseline: 2

Caught in Collapse: 1 (TX)

Fell Through Floor 1 (NY)

Search and Rescue: 1

Caught in Collapse 1 (TX)

Pump Operations: 1

Civilian vehicle slides into accident scene.

Riding Vehicle/Apparatus: 1

Cardiac arrest during incident response (passenger).

Command: 1

Heart attack at brush fire.

Training: 1

Fell ill while cooling down after training exercise.

Other: 2

Heart attack while performing safety checks.

Passed away after fighting a brush fire.

Scene Safety: 1

Medical emergency while directing traffic.

(Source: United States Fire Administration 20123On-Duty Death Notices)

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Why We Search: Dropping the Hammer in Lewiston and Dead in Vegas

Bill Carey — Wed, 08 May 2013 11:25:43 +0000

"Vacant" properties in Maine and kids playing inside them in Nevada

Lewiston, Maine. After a multiple alarm fire ripped through two vacant apartment buildings on Monday, as well as the 29 April blaze that destroyed three buildings, city officials in Lewiston, Maine have begun checking other vacant properties. As is the usual case after a significant fire in a vacant /abandoned structure, city officials and authorities have taken efforts to assure the public that similar fires can be prevented and tragedy averted. The oddity in Lewiston is that the first vacant apartment building to burn was not actually vacant at all.

The fire that involved 105-111 Blake Street began in a building that was listed as “condemned” but still occupied according to Lewiston Code Enforcement Officer Tom Maynard. The condemned listing comes after an inspection found the interior infested with mold and the structural stability questionable. Eviction notices were issued in March and at the time of the fire six of the nine units inside were still occupied. The owner of the property walked away after reportedly being unable to pay the mortgage. Additional reporting on the apartment painted it as haven for drug users and a building with a fire alarm system of questionable operation.

Las Vegas, Nevada. On 2 May a group of young boys began playing inside a vacant house on Howard Drive, running in and out setting off fireworks. Play continued and eventually a fire was set that grew, reportedly flashed, and chased most of the boys out. Firefighters were met outside by one boy, arms and clothing burnt, who told them his brother was still inside. His body was found in the area of origin.

Here are other instances of fires in vacant, abandoned buildings that were found to be occupied during the month of May. You can read about past months here. As always stated when discussing theses fires on our site or Facebook page, this is not a call to rush inside without due regard for safety, but that each size-up is different. When the building, fire conditions, staffing and resources allow, a search should be heavily considered instead of denying the search based on fear and the assumption that all vacants are empty and should be fought by exterior operations only.

Houston, TX Squatters known to use vacant home that burned.

Huntington, WV Man charged with vacant house fire.

Trinity, NC Body found in vacant house fire.

Muskegon, MI Three teens charged with vacant house fire.

Midvale, UT Abandoned school fire concerns residents.

Related

“Lewiston fire started in condemned building” Byrne, Morning Sentinel

“Maine, Condemned Apartment Building Occupied During Three-Alarm Blaze” FireRescue Magazine/FirefighterNation.com

“Maine City Cracks Down on Abandoned Properties after String of Major Fires” FireRescue Magazine/FirefighterNation.com

“Lewiston officials step up vacant property policing after third fire in a week” Graham, Morning Sentinel

“Lewiston, Maine residents on edge after 3rd fire in a week” Sinclair, NECN.com

“Boy killed in fire was playing with brother inside vacant home” Nordli, Las Vegas Sun

“One child dies, another burned In Oakey house fire” Gonzalez, News3

“One Boy Killed, One Injured in Las Vegas Vacant House Fire” FireRescue Magazine/FirefighterNation.com

Lewiston fire photo (AP Photo/Sun-Journal, Christopher Williams)

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